Review: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' lives up to the hype and promises a thrilling future

Continuing the original "Star Wars" trilogy of "A New Hope,"
"Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" would have been a
difficult task for anybody. The new "Star Wars" movie, "The Force
Awakens," needed a plot that wouldn't disappoint millions of fans
who have spent decades theorizing about what might happen next in
a galaxy far, far away.

But with "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens," director
J.J. Abrams nailed it. He successfully delivered a franchise
movie loaded with nostalgic moments playing on previous
episodes that also builds a foundation
for the next storyline to come. (Only mild spoilers for
the plot ahead.)

The movie's main focus is Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy
Ridley), two outsiders who come together for an unlikely
journey.

Finn is a stormtrooper who has gone rogue — he finds he's not
meant to be the killer he was bred to be. Instead, Finn ends up
on a desert planet trying to escape the First Order
(which is what the Empire is called now).

Lucasfilm

Rey is a scavenger who spends her days scrounging together money
by stripping parts from ruined Star Destroyers, X-wings, and
TIE fighters that crashed on her planet ages ago when the Empire
fell (thanks to the now-mythical heroes including Luke Skywalker
and Han Solo).

Finn and Rey connect through the droid BB-8, which is the
property of a hot-shot rebel pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar
Isaac).

Disney/Lucasfilm

BB-8 is important — but getting into why would
open the floodgates to a rush of spoilers. So
it's best to say the lovable droid is the key to why Finn
and Rey enter into the world of the Rebellion, where they cross
paths with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew),
and General Leia (Carrie Fisher).

"The Force Awakens" is chock-full of lightsaber battles, chase
scenes, and explosions, but Abrams and fellow screenwriters
Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt also crafted strong
dialogue that evokes serious emotion from the
characters.

George Lucas was always criticized for filling earlier "Star
Wars" episodes with cold, stringent performances (especially in
the prequels). But the characters in "The Force Awakens" are
passionate — even funny — and give performances that don't
feel... forced.

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This is especially evident in the plot lines of new "Star
Wars" charaters.

Adam Driver as the villain Kylo Ren is the perfect mix of
intimidation and conflict. He wants desperately to be the second
coming of Darth Vader but isn't sure if he has enough of the
dark side in him (by the end of the movie we realize he does).
Ren's character also has a refreshing hint of humor, like when he
uses his lightsaber to throw temper tantrums.

Lucasfilm

Then there's Rey. Daisy Ridley gives a performance that gets
better as the movie progresses and is a blueprint for how women
in action movies should be portrayed. Rey is a no-nonsense hero
who doesn't need any assistance to do anything. She insists
numerous times that Finn let go of her hand while they run
from danger. She flies the Millennium Falcon. She wields a
lightsaber. Whether it's intentional or not, Abrams has announced
that in his galaxy far, far away, women don't just kick butt —
they are the focus of the story.

Disney/Lucasfilm

The bottom line: "The Force Awakens" is an epic story for an
epic franchise that has set the groundwork for an intriguing
new chapter that might just be as exciting as the first one.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters everywhere
on December 18.